Systems and methods for manipulating the airflow produced by fluid ejector carriage motion

Abstract

A system, method and structure that promotes removing mist, dissipating heat, and/or drying a receiving medium in a fluid ejection device. This is achieved by substantially enclosing the sweep path of the fluid ejector carriage and manipulating the generally enclosed airflow that results from translating the fluid ejector carriage in a sweep direction.

1. A fluid ejector carriage assembly, comprising:
 a fluid ejector carriage containing at least one fluid ejection device; 
 at least one structure upon which the fluid ejector carriage translates during operation; 
 one or more panels that substantially enclose a volume in proximity to the fluid ejector carriage and the at least one structure upon which the fluid ejector carriage translates during operation to form a containment around the operating sweep path of the fluid ejector carriage to facilitate manipulation of the airflow produced as the fluid ejector carriage sweeps in a sweep direction along the at least one structure; and 
 an opening in the fluid ejector carriage sweep path containment that provides access to a receiving medium for the fluid ejected from a fluid ejection module as the fluid ejector carriage sweeps along the at least one structure in a sweep direction. 
 
   
   
     2. The fluid ejector carriage assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one structure upon which the fluid ejector carriage translates during operation is at least one fluid ejector carriage guide rail or rod. 
   
   
     3. The fluid ejector carriage assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more panels comprises at least one panel that is a separate, individually molded or manufactured element. 
   
   
     4. The fluid ejector carriage assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more panels comprises at least one panel that is molded or manufactured as part of an internal surface or structure of the fluid ejector device. 
   
   
     5. The fluid ejector carriage assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising openings in at least one of the one or more panels, such openings located generally at each end of the fluid ejector carriage sweep path usable to facilitate air intake and/or exhaust on successive sweeps of the fluid ejector carriage. 
   
   
     6. The fluid ejector carriage assembly of  claim 5 , further comprising at least one filter element located in proximity to at least one of the at least one openings. 
   
   
     7. The fluid ejector carriage assembly of  claim 5 , further comprising at least one structure or device located in proximity to at least one of the at least one openings usable to allow air intake into the fluid ejector sweep path containment through the opening as the fluid ejector carriage sweeps away from the opening and to restrict air exhaust from the fluid ejector sweep path containment through the opening as the fluid ejector carriage sweeps toward the opening. 
   
   
     8. The fluid ejector carriage assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid ejector carriage has sides transverse to the sweep direction with silhouettes that approximate the cross-sectional profile, size and shape, of the inside of the fluid ejector carriage sweep path containment. 
   
   
     9. The fluid ejector carriage assembly of  claim 8 , further comprising at least one opening in a side of the fluid ejector carriage transverse to the sweep direction that allow passage of air through the fluid ejector carriage. 
   
   
     10. The fluid ejector carriage assembly of  claim 9 , further comprising at least one filter located in proximity to at least one of the at least one side openings. 
   
   
     11. The fluid ejector carriage assembly of  claim 9 , further comprising airflow path modifying structures and/or devices mounted on, or internal to, the fluid ejector carriage, that modify the path of the air flowing through the fluid ejector carriage through the at least one said side opening. 
   
   
     12. The fluid ejector carriage assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the opening in the fluid ejector carriage sweep path containment that provides access to the receiving medium for the fluid ejected from the fluid ejection module is expanded generally in the direction of receiving medium motion such that the airflow produced as the fluid ejector carriage sweeps in a sweep direction along the at least one structure is directed generally in the direction of the receiving medium. 
   
   
     13. The fluid ejector carriage assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one separate structure mounted on at least one side of the fluid ejector carriage transverse to the sweep direction to modify the silhouette of the at least one side of the fluid ejector carriage so that the silhouette, as modified, approximates the cross-sectional profile, size and shape, of the inside of the fluid ejector carriage sweep path containment. 
   
   
     14. The fluid ejector carriage assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid ejected is ink. 
   
   
     15. A printer device comprising the fluid ejector carriage assembly of  claim 1 . 
   
   
     16. A method for manipulating the resultant airflow generated by fluid ejector carriage motion in a fluid ejection device, comprising:
 operating a fluid ejector carriage, having sides transverse to the sweep direction with silhouettes that approximate the cross-sectional profile, size and shape, of the inside of a fluid ejector carriage sweep path containment that is substantially closed except for the face that is bounded by a receiving medium, to sweep along the carriage motion direction and eject fluid onto a receiving medium; and 
 manipulating the airflow in front of and behind the fluid ejector carriage resulting from the carriage motion to perform a secondary function to fluid ejection. 
 
   
   
     17. The method of  claim 16 , wherein the secondary function is substantially venting the air in the fluid ejector carriage sweep path containment on each successive sweep by drawing air in and exhausting air out through openings generally provided at each end of the fluid ejector carriage sweep path. 
   
   
     18. The method of  claim 17 , further comprising filtering air intake and exhaust on each successive sweep of the fluid ejector carriage. 
   
   
     19. The method of  claim 17 , further comprising restricting air exhaust on each successive sweep of the fluid ejector carriage with devices in proximity to the openings in the fluid ejector carnage sweep path containment usable to allow air intake as the fluid ejector carriage sweeps away from the opening and to restrict air exhaust as the fluid ejector carriage sweeps toward the opening. 
   
   
     20. The method of  claim 17 , wherein the secondary function includes manipulating the resultant airflow to remove mist produced by the fluid ejection process in the fluid ejection device. 
   
   
     21. The method of  claim 16 , further comprising manipulating the airflow to pass through openings in sides of the fluid ejector carnage transverse to the sweep to allow passage of air through the fluid ejector carriage as the fluid ejector carriage sweeps along at least one structure in the sweep direction. 
   
   
     22. The method of  claim 21 , further comprising filtering the airflow that passes through the openings in the sides of the fluid ejector carriage through filters located in proximity to the openings in the sides of the fluid ejector carriage. 
   
   
     23. The method of  claim 21 , further comprising directing the airflow that passes through the openings in the sides of the fluid ejector carriage across heater elements and/or heat sinks of the fluid ejection device. 
   
   
     24. The method of  claim 21 , wherein the secondary function includes manipulating the resultant airflow to dissipate heat from the fluid ejection device produced by the fluid ejection process. 
   
   
     25. The method of  claim 16 , wherein manipulating the airflow in front of and behind the fluid ejector carriage resulting from the carriage motion further comprises directing and/or deflecting the resultant airflow generated by carriage motion generally in the direction of the receiving medium. 
   
   
     26. The method of  claim 25 , wherein the secondary function includes manipulating the resultant airflow to dry the fluid ejected onto the receiving medium during the fluid ejection process in the fluid ejection device. 
   
   
     27. The method of  claim 25 , wherein the secondary function includes manipulating the resultant airflow to set and/or solidify semi-molten fluids deposited onto the receiving medium during the fluid ejection process in the fluid ejection device. 
   
   
     28. The method of  claim 16 , further comprising operating the fluid ejector carriage through a plurality of non-fluid ejecting sweeps of the fluid ejector carriage interleaved within, or added at the end of, each fluid ejection operation to generally clear the air in the fluid ejector carriage sweep path containment.